Fukuko Okamura, Clothes designer, Identity Design

Many design avenues were explored to create this logo identity. However, the Japanese character 福 fuku in Mrs. Okamura’s first name and expressing «good fortune» wore a special meaning for her. Thus, the designer used the origins of that character for inspiration. Hereafter, the etymology* of the fuku character in a nutshell: the nine strokes on the right (畐) of the character depict a baggy container holding alcohol, which was offered to the gods; on the left (ネ) is a simplified depiction of a small altar on which the container probably stood during those ritual offerings in the olden China days. In turn, these offerings were believed to procure «happiness», «good fortune» and «help» to people, which are subsequent meanings of the 福 fuku character. Hence, the logo widens skyward as an offering recalling some of the character’s etymology. Moreover, as Mrs. Okamura creates light, feel-good garments made from natural silk fabric, the logo tries to embody lightness like an open flower would.

*Shirakawa, Shizuka. Joyojikai. Tokyo: Heibonsha, 2003.